Axminster Specialist Panels

HIGH QUALITY ALUMINIUM PANELS AND RANGE OF FUEL/PETROL TANKS AND OTHER FLUID TANKS FOR LOTUS.

SEE WEB SITE FOR DETAILS

CONTACT ANDY on 07981 259037 or +44 (0)1297 33562

I was sucessful in bidding on ebay for one of Andy's tanks. I had researched the various UK vendors on price, quality and design. The tank was couriered and arrived safely without damage.
The design/construction is as stated on Andy's web page and I consider it to be superior to the others I have seen even down to having the join concealed. Fittings are positioned exactly as per original. All in all an excellent replacement product which I cannot fault at a price I consider to be very competitive.
I would recommend. I confirm that I have no connection with Andy other than this purchase.

I now have one too. looks good. Won't be fitted for a while coz car still in 10,000 bits! photos attached for comparison, hopefully you can see the quality. Really pleased with it.

I too have no connection with Andy, saw his tank on ebay and went from there.

Sorry to "nit-pick" and am ready to be corrected but,is it an optical illusion or is the filler at a different angle?

John

P.S.

Just for the record could you post the weights (empty)

Hello John,

The filler neck is the correct angle. As you say it's an optical illusion.

I have made a couple of small changes to the design of the tank since these pictures have been taken.

I've made them in different sizes / widths, foam filled (as per FIA regs) with and without race type sender units, and in various forms suitable for fuel injection.

They come complete with stainless steel allen headed mounting bolts and stainless allen sender unit bolts. Also included is a new sender unit gasket.

I will be at the Lotus show next year with various examples on display (+2, +2 fuel injected, Type 14 Elite standard and long range, Caterhams and others).

I'm happy to post worldwide.

I also supply sender units to match.

In respect of weights I don't have them to hand, but my aluminium tanks are certainly lighter than the standard steel items

Andy Wiltshire
Axminster Specialist Panels
andywiltshire.com

Andy

Yes,saw you at last Donington,they certainly look the business,if only I wasn't a poor northener I would jump at the chance of having one of your units...

John

P.S. how much is a Plus2 standard tank collected at Malvern?

Hello John,

I was taught a long time ago by a wise man, that a man that calls himself a poor northerner, is the same as a farmer who describes himself as being poor!

The tanks (all made myself) are £299 (no vat to pay). They are the only aluminium ones that allow you to use your original sender unit. The only other seller of these charges £100 + more and the quality doesn't even come close.

Andy
Axminster Specialist Panels

Hello Andy, how much to ship to California, sip code 94931 and how much for your sending unit? Do you have a price list of the different tanks, foam etc.? That should answer the question of many others over here. Looks real nicely done.

Sarto

Hello Sarto,

Thanks for the email. The aluminium tanks to suit the Elan and Elan +2 are £299 each (no vat or taxes to pay). I have sent these throughout the world. Insured shipping to the States is £91. Whilst the shipping isn't cheap, it's a price I can do nothing about. The positive part of the shipping is that it's door to door worldwide within about 3 days!!!

Other postage costs are;
Within UK, £17.50
Europe, approx £52

The Elan s1,2,3 sender units are £64 and Elan +2 sender units are £48. I will shortly be getting a new supply of s4 and sprint sender units.

The full price list is on my website at either Axminster Specialist Panels or andywiltshire.com

I have made both of the above tanks suitable for fuel injection (and others inc Europa, Caterhams etc). The price for each tank is generally then £339 due to the extra work involved. For fuel injected tanks I prefer to use the aeroquip style fittings for the supply and return rather than push on, although other threaded fittings both male and female are available. Dash 6 (-6) is the size to use.

If the car is going to be raced I would suggest that the tank is foam filled (safety foam to military spec). This is mandatory for FIA events. The foam costs approx, £70 for an Elan tank and £90 for the +2. A down side to the foam (other than the price) is that unless the standard sender unit is enclosed within a protective chamber within the tank (more work involved), the foam would obstruct the operation of the sender unit arm! Another option is to use a dip tube sender unit within the foam but it must be matched to a corresponding gauge (I can supply these). Foam filling will reduce the capacity of the tank by 3%.

The standard aluminium tanks are usually in stock. For others, unless the tank is urgently required I generally have them ready for sending within 3 weeks. I make all of the tanks myself and would happily compare my tanks to any others available.

Hope this is of help.
Andy Wiltshire

A couple of points of interest;

If you are using a replacement fuel line in your car, prior to buying check that it is suitable. This may sound silly but some fuel lines sold as such, including aeroquip style braided hosing, although it will not allow liquid to escape, the hosing will often allow the petrol vapour to escape! I believe that this has recently been mentioned on this site.

Also there is somebody on UK ebay selling nos sender units described as for the s4 /sprint. These aren't correct and actually relate to another vehicle.

First i will state that i have NO connection with Andy.

Second,just picked up my tank from Andys place,what a bit of kit and made within a week so i could pick it up while in UK.

Thanks Andy for the smashing service,

many thanks and and a happy new year,

Paul.

Just wanted to add another satisfied customer to the list.

Received my Plus 2 tank in very good time. Shipping to Canada was ~89 GBP with shipping time of about three days. Shipped DHL, which is very good service. Well packed, no damage.

Tank filler has an extra welded brace; makes for a way more robust structure than stock and does not interfer with trunk bulkhead. All outlets lined up correctly with stock body holes. Weight about 1/3 of stock.

Also purchased new sender, which is the correct piece for Plus 2 including extra sender for low fuel light. Thoughtfully comes with a new gasket and retainer ring. Gauge works as well as it did before.

Used modified venting as per the Lotus Club recommendation and routed main vent back to the filler cap pipe. No fuel odor and good filling speed for top third of the tank.

Andy provided all bank details in an email. Does not use credit card or PayPal, so needed to to inter bank transfer. This went OK, but the fees are a bit steep.

Another very satisfied customer of Andys
He has just made me a 45 ltr tank for my race car. We sorted out out the shape and size that would give 45 litres and still fit between the larger exhaust tunnel and the inner wing blisters and I am very pleased with the result.

regards
Andy